NISA reaches out to byelection candidates

Mental health has not been a front and centre issue during Sudbury's provincial byelection, said Shana Calixte, executive director of the Northern Initiative for Social Action (NISA).

The organization, which provides peer support for people with mental illnesses, decided to reach out to local candidates on Bell Let's Talk Day, a national day to bring more awareness and reduce the stigma around mental health issues.

The initial plan, said Calixte, was to hold a town hall meeting so all candidates could answer questions from NISA members and anyone else in the audience.

“That wasn't received as well as we thought it would be,” she said.

When the town hall fell through, she contacted the candidates for individual visits to NISA, to meet with members and answer their questions.

Apart from the Progressive Conservatives, all the main parties responded.

Independent candidate Andrew Olivier and Liberal candidate Glenn Thibeault visited the centre Wednesday – at different times.

NDP candidate Suzanne Shawbonquit is scheduled to visit NISA Thursday.

Green Party candidate David Robinson was not able to attend, due to a trip to Toronto, but sent a party representative in his place.

Thibeault admitted mental health issues have not been on the political radar during the byelection, and have only been mentioned in passing.

“But mentioning it and talking about it are two different things,” he said.

Thibeault added he is passionate about mental health care, and said he worked for a time as a frontline worker in Vancouver, where he often helped people with addictions and mental health issues.

Calixte said that while frontline services from nurses, social workers and personal support workers are important, more funding is needed for organizations like NISA, that support people on a daily basis, and not only when they are in crisis.

“People need a reason to come out of bed, a reason to come out, and this is why they're here at NISA,” she said.